Welcome to Litsy!

'It's easy to moan that Westminster doesn't work and a lot harder to explain why. To understand, this is the book you need to read.' Laura Kuenssberg - Political Editor, BBC News Politicians are consistently voted the least trusted professional group by the UK public. Every year, they introduce new legislation that fails to achieve what it set out to do - often with terrible financial and human costs. But, with some notable exceptions, they are decent, hard-working people, doing a hugely demanding job. In this searching examination of our political class, award-winning journalist Isabel Hardman tries to square this circle. Through ground-breaking research and interviews across the political spectrum - from researchers to prime ministers - she lifts the lid on the strange world of Westminster, showing how the culture and institutions of parliament fail both the electorate and MPs themselves.